So what did you think? I could've done with more rock and less biography, but all in all I was satisfied. Sum 41 did surprisingly well opening the show, Stained were good on Nothing Else Matters, and Limp Biskit always sucks. Avril was in over her head, but her band did a nice job. Anytime Snoop is on my tv, I'm happy, but it didn't really work for me last night (on a side note, is that pimp ALWAYS with him?). The icons themselves kicked ass. The parade of dudes telling what Metallica meant to them was a bit embarrassing.

First and foremost, a big "fuck you" to MTV for cutting the show off in the middle of Metallica's new single. What the hell do you think people were watching that special for? (I'll give you a hint - it wasn't Avril Lavigne.)

Speaking of Avril, I'm a little pissed off at her, too. Why couldn't she have done a worse job with "Fuel". As it stands, she was just bad, but not so bad that it was funny. Just not good.

Limp Bizkit, on the other hand, rolled out the worst version of "(Welcome Home) Sanitarium" I've ever heard. They managed to make it sound like, well, every other piece of lame white boy angst they've released yet.

Korn was passable with "One", if nothing else.

Staind played "Nothing Else Matters", and it was a lot like their cover of Pearl Jam's "Black". Technically fine, but with all the life and emotion sucked out.

Snoop Dogg rambled his way through the strangest version of "Sad But True" I've ever heard. I got the impression he heard the song for the first time about a half hour prior to the taping. Still, because it was Snoop, somehow it was still cool.

Sum 41, of all bands, pulled off the best covers of the night, with spot-on perfect versions of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "Master of Puppets". Too bad they can't get any decent songs of their own - the ability is certainly there.

Jim Breuer, of course, kicked ass six ways from Sunday. He got to do a Lars Ulrich impression in front of the only crowd that would appriciate it. And his Metallica-cover of "If You're Happy And You Know It"... pure gold.

There were a lot of other random celebrities on hand, some just watching the show, some handing band intros and the like. The most random was probably Michelle Branch, who's not exactly the first person I think of when I think of Metallica. She brought out a bunch of Marines for no reason other than the "cheap pop" from the crowd. Still, Michelle Branch is insanely hot (and, remember, we had a moment), so all is forgiven.

As for the band itself, Hetfield looks about ten years older than the last time we saw him. That Jack Daniels was keepin' him young, I swear. Lars looks the same as he's always looked. Kirk has gotten the same strange affliction that's hit Trent Reznor and the guy from A.F.I. - he looks just like "Weird Al" Yankovic. And Jason Newstead looked fat and Samoan. >

Yes, Robert Trujillo did a fine job, although he still looks out of place. But, I suppose Newstead looked out of place until about six months until he quit the band, so that doesn't really matter.

My only other complaint involves the documentary pieces MTV ran through the show. First of all, they ran them in no order whatsoever. We went from Newstead leaving the band, to James in rehab, to the early days, to the Black Album, to the recording of "St. Anger". The name Cliff Burton was mentioned once, in passing, and only in relationship to Newstead joining the band. The word Napster was never uttered.

All in all, it was better than it had any right to be, and what MTV allowed us to hear of the new single sounded awesome - almost a return to the "Ride the Lightning" - "Master of Puppets" era. (Only with the non-abrasive vocals Hetfield's learned since then. Jeebus, he used to sound like hell, didn't he?)

Anyhoo, the whole does bode well for the new CD, now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to listen to "And Justice For All".

EDIT: The Michelle Branch thing is a long and involved inside joke that I have no desire to get into right now. Don't worry about it.

(edited by OlFuzzyBastard on 7.5.03 1926)CHRISTIAN,n.1. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.2. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.

Avril was terrible. She was sleepwalking through "Fuel". It woulda helped if she had y'know actually moved a little instead of standing there frightened. Of course, if I was Avril, and I was a shitty pseudo-punk pop singer performing in front of Metallica fans, I'd be scared too.

I actually kinda liked Limp Biztkit's "Sanitarium". Had Durst not been there, it would have been pretty good for a nu-metalization of a metal song. As it was, it was interesting. I'll have to catch the rest of it when MTV replays it a million times.

Detroit Pistons: They also are 11 wins away. The only non-embarrassment left in the motor city

I caught some of MTV News this morning, which contained a segment of the shavedhead punk VJ interview celebs at the show. His questions consisted of stuff like which metal legend was fired from the band, what was the orignial name of Kill em All, who was the other bassist, etc. Michelle Branch didn't know about Dave Mustane, and I think Rob Zombie was the only one who got a question right.

I caught the tail end of it last night (but i'll be sure to catch one of the 20 or so other replies this week) I missed the Avril, Sum 41, and Staind performances. I was looking forward to the latter two mentioned but missed them last night. Jim Bruer was just total awesomeness. The impressions kicked ass.

I would not consider myself a hardcore Metallica fan but do really appreciate what they've contributed to music. Nothing beats memories of riding with my older cousins to school (when I was in the 5th grade) and having "Wherever I May Roam" at full blast.

Their new song sounds pretty good and I may even check out St. Anger when it comes out.

to OlFuzzyBastard: I would love to hear the explanation to the whole Michelle Branch thing one of these days. You may not be able to tell, but i'm somewhat of a fan of hers

Originally posted by senor sangreI caught some of MTV News this morning, which contained a segment of the shavedhead punk VJ interview celebs at the show. His questions consisted of stuff like which metal legend was fired from the band, what was the orignial name of Kill em All, who was the other bassist, etc. Michelle Branch didn't know about Dave Mustane, and I think Rob Zombie was the only one who got a question right.

The VJ you speak of is Iann Robinson, AKA the Bastard Son of Aaron Lewis and Tazz.

Can someone explain to me what any of those bands were doing at a Metallica tribute show? Avril was so terrible I literally was cringing in my chair. Where was Pantera, Dream Theater or the countless other TALLENTED bands that are actually Metallica fans?

Originally posted by Jim SaccaroCan someone explain to me what any of those bands were doing at a Metallica tribute show? Avril was so terrible I literally was cringing in my chair. Where was Pantera, Dream Theater or the countless other TALLENTED bands that are actually Metallica fans?

Talented bands and MTV??? Yeah, that will happen the day Geoffery the Giraffe starts giving free over-the-counter blowjobs at Toys R Us.

Sum 41, of all bands, pulled off the best covers of the night, with spot-on perfect versions of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "Master of Puppets". Too bad they can't get any decent songs of their own - the ability is certainly there

This shocked me as well. I was expecting them to completely screw it up and they did not. The vocals left a little to be desired compared to hetfield but the musical talent certainly was there.

This is simply a reminder of the fantastic hypocrisy of many in Hollywood. They conflate robust criticism with censorship; they equate popular boycotts with government blacklists; they claim to be persecuted, while actually they have an amazing capacity to reach audiences other political activists can only dream of. And yet, when the slightest criticism directly affects them, they do all they can to shut dissent down. Instructive, isn't it? Industry honchoes who wouldn't have jobs without the right to free expression are only too eager to squash it when that speech dares to criticize them- Andrew Sullivan